Opto-mechanical switches are used in routing signals from one port to another port. Opto-mechanical switches are the critical building element in fiber optical communication networks and in other fields such as test and measurement.
Compact and stable 2×2 opto-mechanical switches are desirable as the technology shrinks in size and increases in bandwidth. A first embodiment of a conventional 2×2 opto-mechanical switch utilizes a reflection mirror with two dual fiber collimators, which is highly unstable thermally and mechanically. A second embodiment of a conventional 2×2 opto-mechanical switch utilizes a transmitting parallel prism which increases the thermal and mechanical stability. The second embodiment also has better repeatability of performance over the first embodiment. However, in order to keep a workable beam separation for aligning the collimator optics, the size of the prism is relatively large. Therefore, the prism is heavy and places a heavy load on the carrying relay arm.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for overcoming the above-identified issues. The present invention addresses such a need.